Wire-fabric-making machine.



A. L.' KITSBLMAN.

WIRE FABRIC MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLSD hmm, 1903.

PATENTBDAPP.. 13,1905lv 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 787,457. I PATBN'IED APR. I8, 1905.

A. L. KITSELMAN.

WIRE FABRIC MAKING MACHINE.

APPLIQATION FILED DEO.24. 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FHNIH 'fxvf A l) PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.'

s SHEETS-SHEET a.

Ay//VIJM A. L.'KITSELMAN. WIRE FABRIC MAKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 1320.24, 1903.

UNITED STATES Patented .April 18, 1905.

ALVA L. KITSELMAN, OF MUNCIE, INDIANA.

WIRE-FABRlC-MAKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1\l'o. 787,457, dated April 18, 1905. i

Application filed December 243903. serial 10,186,491

To rtl] whom t may con/cerro.'

Be it known that I, ALvA L. KITSELMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Muncie, in the county of Delaware and State of Indiana, have invented anew and useful Wire- Fabric-Making Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved wirefabric-making machine of that type disclosed in Patent No. 745,072 to W. N. Parrish, dated November 24, 1903. This type of machine is.

designed with special reference to the manufacture of wire fencing, and is characterized by provision for drawing a series of parallel line-wires from one or more spools, a plurality of devices for lforming loops in the linewires, provision for passing stay wires through the loops, and means for operating the looping devices in a manner to permit the looped portions of the line-wires to be withdrawn from said devices and .drawn out by the pull on the line-wires to form twists constituting' connections between the line and stay wires. Auxiliary to this organization are guides for the stay-wires, these guides being in the form of grooves for directing the staywires as they are fed or shot through the loops, the open side of these guide-grooves being closed by a gate or apron movable away from the grooves when the withdrawal of the stay-wires from the latter is necessary. In the practical operation of this machine I have discovered certain defects, to the correction of which my present invention is directed. Most of these defects arise in consequence of an imperfection in the construction of the loopers. These loopers comprise rotary heads, eachof which includes a loop-forming device or hookin the outer or end face of which is formed a channel or guide through which the stay-wire is led in order to effect its passage through a line-wire loop formed on the hook. Then the stay-wire is fed forward, this channel in the outer face of the hook is alined with the guide-grooves, which, as has been explained, are closed by the gate or apron. By reason of the fact that. the line-wire loop is formedaround the hook the gate must be cut awayopposite the hook to prevent interference/with the line-wire, and as a consequence the open side of the channel in the outer face of the hook is unguarded. If, there-v fore, as sometimes happens, the advancing end of the stay-wireA is deflected in passing through the hook, it is permitted to escape through the open side of the channel instead of passing on in a direct line to the next hook. Vhen an accident of this character occurs, the machine must be stopped and the staywire drawn back and reinserted by hand. In fact. it is ordinarily necessary to complete by hand the weavingin of the new stay-wire, since any considerable feed of the deflected stay-wire after its escape from the hook will have materially advanced the positions ofthe loop-forming devices. Another and more serious result of the stated construction of the loop-forming hook is that the turning of the hook from a horizontal to a vertical position for the purpose of releasing the loop deiiects that portion of the stay-wire passing through the hook,this deflection being formed between sharp artificial bends formed in the stay-wire at the opposite ends of the hook. Since the loop of the line-wire encircles the deflected por? tion of the stay-wire, said loop when drawn out by the strain on the line-wire after the release ofthe loop from the hook causes the twist to extend the entire distance between the artificial bends in the stay-wire, and this connection of the two wires being of abnormal or artificial length and standing at an angle to both the stay and line wires causes material distortion of the fence when the latter is stretched up-that is to say, the drawing taut of the line-wires in stretching up the fence causes these intertwisted portions or connections of the wires to be drawn into line with the line-wires, and as the line-wires of a fence are different distances apart and as all of these angular connections or twists are of the same length those portions of the stay-wires eX- tending betweenY the line-wires will be disposed at various angles. The described action of the looper, in addition to forming objectionable artificial bends in the stay-wires, causes the galvanizing or protective coating on the latter to be scraped, skinned, or peeled off at the bends, and the wires are therefore weakened by rust upon exposure to the IOO weather. Not only that, but the formation of the stay-wire channel in the outer face of the hook necessitates the withdrawal of the stay-wire from the hook in adirection at right angles to that in which the strain is applied4 that is to say, the stay-wire must move out of the channel in ahorizontal direction, while the strain which effects this removal is vertically directed by the pull onthe line-wire. This results in impeding the operation of the machine, augments the mutilation of the wire,

and accentuates the artificial bends in the staywire.

To the elimination of these objectionable characteristics my invention has for its object the improvement of the loopers and the stay-wire-guiding means in order to provide a continuously-closed guide for the stay-wire and to provide for the withdrawal of the stay and line wires from the loopers without mutilating or producing artificial bends in the stay-wire and without causing the latter to present undue resistance to the withdrawal of the wires from the looping-hooks.

To the accomplishment of these objects and others subordinate thereto, as will more fully appear, the preferred embodiment of the invention embraces that construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, and succinctly defined in the appended claims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of so much of a fence-machine as is necessary to the illustration of my invention, this View embracing a portion of the machineframe, a looping device, and the connections whereby said looping device is rotated and the hook or looper thereof` reciprocated. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through one of the looping devices and it's mounting and showing certain of the machine elements in plan. Fig. 3 is a face View of a looping device with a line-wire extendingthrough the hook. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, the hook or looper being shown in elevation. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the hook drawn back. Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 3, showing the looping device after it has made one-half rotation in the direction of the arrow to form a loop in the line-wire. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6, showing the stay-wire shot through the loop in the line-wire. Fig. 8 is avertical section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section similar to Fig. 7, but showing the hook projected to withdraw the staywire from the guides preparatory to the turn- Aing of the hook in a reverse direction to re lease the interlocked wires therefrom. Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, but showing the looper after it has made a quarter-turn in the direction indicated by the arrow from the position shown in Fig. 9 to effect the release of f Figs. 11, 12, and I the wires from the hook.

13 are diagrammatic views designed to illustrate the manner in which the wires are released from the hook, Fig. 11 being a face View of the hook and wires positioned as in Fig. 9, Fig. 12 being a similar view after oneeighth reverse rotation of the hook, and Fig. 13 showing the hook after it has moved toa vertical position from the position-shown in Fig. 12 to permit the complete withdrawal of the interlocked wires. Fig. 14 is a view of the connection between the line and stay wires after said wires have been intertwisted by the pull on the line-wire immediately subsequent to the release of the wires from thevhook, the position of the hook being indicated in this figure. Fig. 15 is a detail section on the line 15 15 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 16 is an edge View of the detachable face-plate of a looper-head.

Like numerals of reference are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Between the opposite sides of the machinef frame (not illustrated) extends a supporting member or rail 1, provided at intervals with bearing-sleeves 2 for the reception of looping devices, each of which comprises a rotary head 3, having a reduced spindle 4, journaled in the bearing-sleeve 2, and inelosing the cylindrical shank 5 of a hook or looper 6, preferably rectangular in form and somewhat narrower than the shank, in order to bring one side face of thehook substantially in a line with the axis of the shank. This angular contour of the hook is designed to compel the rotation of the hook and head in unison, since the head 3 is provided with a detachable face-plate 7, formed with an opening or socket 8 for the reception of the hook and corresponding in contour therewith. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) 1n rear of the face-plate 7 the head 3 is formed with a cavity 9, extending from the opposite sides of an inward extension 8L ofthe socket 8. Opposite the ends of this concavity the faceplate 7 is pierced by openings 10 and 11 preferably, though not necessarily, of circular form, as shown in Fig. 3, and connected with the socket 8 by comparatively narrow throats 12 and 13, it being understood that in certain modified constructions the structure of the head as a whole will be substantially that shown and described, except that the face portion thereof instead of being in the form of a separate plate would be an integral part of the head structure. Above and below the opposite ends of the socket 8 in the normal position of the head (see Fig. 3) the face-plate 7 is formed with cam lugs or guides 14 and 15, which rise from the plane of the outer face of the plate to the plane of the outer face of the hook or looper 6 when the latter is drawn back or retracted to the position indicated in Fig. 5, the purpose of these projections 14 and 15 being to facilitate the rotation of the head without interference from the line-wire, as will more fully appear. Normally the hook is disposed IOO IIO

ISO

in a horizontal position, as shown inV Fig. 3, with the cavity 9 in the head disposed vertically. In this position of the looping' device the hook is in its projected position, as seen in Fig. 4, with its opening located at the righthand end thereof. In this position the hook receives the line-wire a, which in the machine now under discussion occupies a substantially vertical position opposite the looper. The manner in which the line-wire is inserted in the hook, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is immaterial; but it may be remarked .in passing that the wire a is passed upwardly though a guide 16, (see Fig. 2,) which is shifted laterally by suitable mechanismas, for instance. a rockerarm 17 and a cam 18-to move the line-wire into the opening 2O of the hook when said hook hasbeen moved to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The line-wire having been positioned in the hook, as shown, said hook is drawn back or retracted for thegpurpose of drawing a portion of the line-wire into the cavity of the head, as shown in Fig. 5, the openings 10 and 11 and the throats 12 and 13 facilitating this manipulation of the wire. The looper is next rotated by mechanism to be described through one hundred and eighty degrees-that is to say, the head and hook moving' in unison are turned one-half of a complete rotation to cause the line-wire to be looped around the looping-linger 21 of the hook in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art. During this movement of the head the looping of the line-wire is facilitated by the cam-lugs 14 and 15, which ride under those portions of the line-wire disposed above and below the hook, thus urging the main portions of the wire outwardly from the face of the looper-head to permit the ends of the hook to pass freely under the wire as its position is reversed. The looper will then have reached the position indicated in Figs. 6 and 7, and the line-wire loop will be ready to receive the stay-wire. The stay-wire is fed across the machine from one side thereof and is designed to pass through the line-wire loops formed on the several loopers of the series. Necessarily the stay-wire must be guided, and for reasons which have heretofore been eX- plained this guide must be substantially continuous. To provide such guiding means, each of the looper-heads is provided in its outer face with a diametrical guide-groove 22, extending from its periphery to the socket 8, the grooves in the several heads being in alinement with each other and with intermediate guide-grooves 23, formed in the outer faces of fixed guide-blocks 24, secured to the support or rail 1 intermediate of the heads. (See Fig. 2.)

IVe now come to consider a feature of primary importance, since it constitutes the leading characteristic of the present invention. In one side face of each hookto wit, that side face 25 which in the present construction is located substantially in the plane of the twister-axis and which when the line-wire loop has .been formed constitutes the upper or top face of the hook-is formed a stay-wire channel 26, (see Figs. 7 and 8,) which is in alinement with the guide-grooves 22 in the face of the head. Particular attention is directed to the location of this channel 26, for the reason that to the novel location of this channel may be attributed the elimination of all of those characteristics which have heretofore been pointed out as objectionable in this type of machine. Heretofore the stay-wire channel in the hook has been formed in the outer or front face thereof, and, as explained, it has been impossible to` guard said channel, for the reason that thevv gate or apron utilized to close the open sides of the guide-grooves 22 and 23 cannot be brought into close relation with the outer face of the hook, around which the linewire is looped. In my construction, on the contrary, the channel 26, being formed in the side face ofthe hook, is closed by the upper wall of the socket 8 in' the head vwhen the hook is in position to receive the stay-wire. It follows, therefore, that as the gate or apron 27 (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) is utilized to close the open sides of the guide-grooves 22 and 23 before the stay-wire is shot across the machine and as the channels in the hooks are likewise closed by the walls of the sockets 8 the staywire will be provided with a continuous closed guide, from which it cannot possibly escape during its rapid passage across the machine and through the several loops of the linewires. Attention is directed to the fact that while the continuity of the channel-closing wall of the socket 8 in the head is broken by the throat 13 said throat is occupied by the loop of the line-wire, so that the escape of the stay-wire from its guide is absolutely impossible. The stay-wire having been shot through the loops of the line-wires, the hooks are now projected to the position indicated in Fig. 9, which operation serves to withdraw the staywire b from the guidegrooves 22 and 23, it being obvious, of course, that the gate 27 will be previously operated to open the outer sides of the grooves. The looping devices will now have completed their functions as loopers for the line-wires and as guides for the stay-wire and will be ready to make a quarter-turn in the reverse direction (indicated by the arrow in Fig. 9) to effect the release of the wires. We may now appreciate a far greater advantage for the novel location of the stay-wire channels 26 in the looper-hooks than the mere prevention of the accidental deiiection of the stay-wire in its passage across the machine. By reference to Figs. 11, 12, and 13 the positions assumed by the parts during the release of the wires may be noted. As the hook begins to rotate from the horizontal position (shown in Fig. 9) to the vertical position (shown in Fig. 10) the stay-wire will be sustained and IOO IIO

perhaps raised slightly by the left-hand end of the hook or the looping-linger thereof, and the channeled face of the hook will recede from the stay-wire without opposition from either wall of the channel and without producing artificial bends in the stay-wire. At the same time the end of the looping-finger of the hook will be withdrawn from the loop, so that as the hook reaches its vertical position the wires will have been entirely released, and the pull on the line-wire will now draw up the loop with suficient force to effect the intertwisting of those portions of the two wires located between the opposite ends of the line-wire loop. The bending of the staywire necessarj7 to effect the intertwist is what may be termed a natural or normal bend, produced merely by the strain upon the line-wire as distinguished from artificial bends produced heretofore by the hook and separated by an abnormally-long deiiected portion of the staywire. When the artiicial bends referred to are formed in the stay-wire by the machine, that portion of the wire extending between these bends is disposed at an angle more or less acute with respect tothe linewire. Therefore when the wires are finally released from the hook the pull upon the linewire causes the opposite end portions of the loop therein to slide along the deflected portions of the stay-wire until arrested by the artificial bends in the latter. When thus arrested, the intertwisting of the wires is effected; but this intertwisted portion or connection instead of being of normal length, as when produced by a machine embodying my improvement, is of a length abnormal and highly objectionable, for reasons hereinbefore stated.

The mechanism for eecting the described movement of the parts may be of ordinary form and constitutes no part of my present invention. It may be stated, however, that the looper-heads are synchronously operated by a rack 28, (see Figs. l and 2,) supported as shown and meshing with a pinion 29, fixed to the rear end of each looper-spindle 4. The synchronous retraction and projection of the looper-hooks is effected by means of oscillatory levers 30, operated by cams 31 andengaging channel-blocks 32, secured to the outer ends of the looper-Shanks 5. (See Fig. 2.)

By way of summary, attention may now be directed to the fact that to the attainment of the specified objects of the invention the staywire channel in the looper is disposed to permit the free withdrawal of the stay-wire therefrom as the looper is moved, this withdrawal being effected in a lateral direction with respect to the axis of the looper or toward the advanced portion of the line-wire, which latter being subjected to an endwise strain effects the removal of the wires as the latter are released from the loopers by the reverse movement thereof. Furthermore, that such location of the stay-wire channel in the looper causes the closing of the open side of the channel by one wall of the looper-socket through the movement of the looper as thel latter is retracted and that as the stay-wire guide-grooves intermediate of the loopers are closed by the apron a continuously-guarded guide will be provided for the stay-wire.

It is thought that from the foregoing the novel construction of the machine and the advantages accruing therefrom will be clearly comprehended; but while the present embodiment of the invention is believed at this time to be preferable I desire to be distinctly understood as reserving the right to effect such changes, modifications, and variations of the illustrated structure as may fall fairly within the scope of the protection prayed..

What 'I claim as new is4 1. A rotary looping device for connecting the line and stay wires of woven-wire fabric, comprising ahead, and a line-wire looper having a stay-wire channel, one side of which opens in a lateral direction with respect to the axis of the device.

Q. A rotary looping device, comprising a head,and a line-wire looper formed with a staywire channel disposed transversely thereof and having an open side through which the stay-:vire may be withdrawn in a lateral direction with respect to the axis of the device.

3. A rotary looping device, comprising a head, and a line-wire looper having' a staywire channel formed in its side face to permit the free withdrawal of the stay-wire.

4.. A rotary looping device, comprising a head and a line-wire looper, said looper having the form of a hook provided at one side with a transverse stay-wire channel for the reception of a stay-wire disposed substantially at right angles .to the line-wire and passed through the loop thereof, one side of the staywire channel opening toward the advanced portion of the line-wire at the beginning of the wire-releasing movement of the looper.

5. A rotary looping device, comprising a head and a coaxial line-wire loopcr provided with a stay-wire channel and means for effecting the following movement of the parts to wit, the retraction of the looper to draw the line-wire into the head, the turning of the head and looperin unison to form in the linewire a loop through which the staywire is guided by the stay-wire channel, the projection of the looper to withdraw the wires from the head, and the reverse turning of the head and looper in unison to release the wires from the looper, the stay-wire channel being formed in that side of the looper which is uppermost at the beginning of the reverse or wire-releasing movement of the parts.

6. A rotary looping device, comprising a head and a relatively movable line-wire looper I o'o TOS IIO

having an open-sided stay-wire channel and means for closing the open side of said channel to prevent the lateral deiection of the 9. A rotary looping device, comprising a4 head formed with a socket, openings at opposite sides of the socket and narrow throats extending to the socket from said openings, and a line-wire looper movable into the socket and having a stay-wire channel.

10. A rotary looping device, comprising a head formed with a socket, openings at opposite sides of the socket and narrow throats extending to the socket from said openings, and a line-wire looper movable into the socket and having' a stay-wire channel in its side face.

11. A rotary looping device, comprising a head, a line-wire looper having a stay-wire channel, and projections on the head to facilitate the passage of the looper under the linewire when the twister is turned to form a line-wire loop. f

12. A rotary looping device, comprising a head formed with a socket, openings at opposite sides thereof, narrow throats extending to the socket from the openings, and camlugs at the opposite sides of the socket and adjacent to the opposite ends thereof, and a line-wire looper movable in the socket of the head and having a stay-wire channel in its side face. A

13. A rotary looping device, comprising a head and a line-wire looper, said head being composed of a body part having a concavity in its end, and a face-plate detachably secured to the end of said body part and having a socket and openings, the latter extending to the socket and located opposite the concavity, and said looper being movable in the socket and provided with a stay-wire channel.

14. A rotary looping device, comprising a head having a detachable face-plate formed with a socket, and a line-wire looper movable in said socket and having a stay-wire channel.

15. A rotary looping device, comprising a head and a line-wire looper having a stay-wire channel formed in its side face and substantially intersecting the axis of the twister.

16. A rotary looping device, comprising a head, and a line-wire looper having a shank coaxial with the head and a stay-wire channel formed in the side face of the looper and substantially intersecting the axis of the shank.

17. A rotary looping device, comprising a head and a linewire looper, said elements having stay-wire grooves or channels opening in diderent directions, one of said grooves or/ channels being formed in a side face of the looper.

18. A rotary looping device, comprising a head having a stay-Wire groove or channel, and a line-wire looper having a stay-wire groove or channel the open side of which is disposed in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the open side of the groove or channel in the head.

19. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a support, and a series of rotary looping' devices cach including a linewire looper; of a stay-wire groove or channel extending from end to end of the series of twisters and formed in part in the loopers, and mechanism whereby all side openings of said groove or channel will be closed to prevent the lateral escape of the advancing end of the stay-wire.

20. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a support, and a series of rotary loopingdevices each including a linewire looper; of a stay-wire groove or channel extending from end to end of the series of twisters, a gate for closing the open sideof said groove intermediate of the loopers, and means whereby those portions of the groove or channel which are formed in the loopers will be guarded to prevent the deflection of the stay wire in its passage through said loopers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my 'own I have hereto afixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALVA L. KITSELMAN.

Witnesses:

J. W. PooRMAN, FRANK S. BAUGHN. 

